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A Failed New Year’s Resolution
With only two days to the New Year, many of us look forward to new hopes and new resolutions. Some might even start to draw up a new list of resolutions – spending more time with your family, shedding some extra pounds gained over the holidays or simply saving more money. However, for one unfortunate man, his new year’s resolution was doomed to fail from the very beginning.
2. It was a common sight at the Woodlands checkpoint on 29 December 2010 with many holiday-makers, shoppers and workers, from both sides of the Causeway making their way through one of the world’s busiest land checkpoints. Officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) worked tirelessly to clear the endless stream of vehicles and travellers passing through the checkpoint.
3. At about 3.30pm, a seemingly innocuous Malaysia-registered saloon car arrived at the Woodlands checkpoint and sought departure clearance. The 20-year-old Malaysian driver was accompanied by his 19-year-old sister, who had completed her shopping in Singapore, and was hitching a ride home with her brother. As the car pulled up to the clearance zone, the driver was signaled to stop for further checks. When the ICA officers asked the Chinese driver to step out of the car for security checks, he appeared extremely uncomfortable and started to fidget nervously. This roused the suspicion of the sharp and alert ICA officers. Sensing that something was amiss, the officers decided to take a closer and more thorough look at the vehicle.
4. True to their suspicion, when the car boot was opened, ICA officers found a piece of mattress protector, barely covering a man who was crammed inside. The driver, his sister and the undeclared passenger were immediately placed under arrest.
The car used to transport the immigration offender
The undeclared passenger
5. During preliminary investigation, the driver admitted to abetting the illegal departure of the 38-year-old PRC national, Huang, a suspected overstayer. The driver revealed that he was approached by a male Malaysian Chinese known to him as “Lao Ban” to convey the immigration offender out of Singapore illegally. He added that he was promised a sum of RM500 if he managed to do so successfully.
6. The PRC national, Huang, recounted that he had overstayed to seek illegal employment. Attempting to depart from Singapore, he had paid a fee of $3,000 to an unknown female PRC agent known only as “Ah Mei” who made the arrangements. As instructed by “Ah Mei”, the PRC national went to Woodlands town centre to meet up with the driver where he was instructed to hide in the car boot while on the way to Woodlands checkpoint.
7. The driver, his sister and the immigration offender are currently under investigation for offences under the Immigration Act. The vehicle used in the commission of this offence has been detained and is liable for forfeiture. The ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners who overstay, enter or depart Singapore illegally. Under the Immigration Act (Cap 133), the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months plus a minimum three strokes of the cane, while the penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both. The penalty for conveying illegal immigrants in or out of Singapore is a jail term of two to five years, plus a minimum three strokes of the cane.
8. Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. ICA conducts stringent security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands.
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
30 DECEMBER 2010
2. It was a common sight at the Woodlands checkpoint on 29 December 2010 with many holiday-makers, shoppers and workers, from both sides of the Causeway making their way through one of the world’s busiest land checkpoints. Officers from the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) worked tirelessly to clear the endless stream of vehicles and travellers passing through the checkpoint.
3. At about 3.30pm, a seemingly innocuous Malaysia-registered saloon car arrived at the Woodlands checkpoint and sought departure clearance. The 20-year-old Malaysian driver was accompanied by his 19-year-old sister, who had completed her shopping in Singapore, and was hitching a ride home with her brother. As the car pulled up to the clearance zone, the driver was signaled to stop for further checks. When the ICA officers asked the Chinese driver to step out of the car for security checks, he appeared extremely uncomfortable and started to fidget nervously. This roused the suspicion of the sharp and alert ICA officers. Sensing that something was amiss, the officers decided to take a closer and more thorough look at the vehicle.
4. True to their suspicion, when the car boot was opened, ICA officers found a piece of mattress protector, barely covering a man who was crammed inside. The driver, his sister and the undeclared passenger were immediately placed under arrest.
The car used to transport the immigration offender
The undeclared passenger
5. During preliminary investigation, the driver admitted to abetting the illegal departure of the 38-year-old PRC national, Huang, a suspected overstayer. The driver revealed that he was approached by a male Malaysian Chinese known to him as “Lao Ban” to convey the immigration offender out of Singapore illegally. He added that he was promised a sum of RM500 if he managed to do so successfully.
6. The PRC national, Huang, recounted that he had overstayed to seek illegal employment. Attempting to depart from Singapore, he had paid a fee of $3,000 to an unknown female PRC agent known only as “Ah Mei” who made the arrangements. As instructed by “Ah Mei”, the PRC national went to Woodlands town centre to meet up with the driver where he was instructed to hide in the car boot while on the way to Woodlands checkpoint.
7. The driver, his sister and the immigration offender are currently under investigation for offences under the Immigration Act. The vehicle used in the commission of this offence has been detained and is liable for forfeiture. The ICA takes a serious view of attempts by foreigners who overstay, enter or depart Singapore illegally. Under the Immigration Act (Cap 133), the penalties for overstaying or illegal entry are a jail term of up to six months plus a minimum three strokes of the cane, while the penalties for illegal departure is a fine of up to $2,000, a jail term of up to six months, or both. The penalty for conveying illegal immigrants in or out of Singapore is a jail term of two to five years, plus a minimum three strokes of the cane.
8. Our borders are our first line of defence in safeguarding Singapore's security. ICA conducts stringent security checks on passengers and vehicles at the checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle in undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contrabands.
IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
30 DECEMBER 2010